The I-5 quarter midget club will be running a regular club race this Saturday. If you get down to the track early, come on over and check it out. The kids love showing off for an audience.

On the same note, now that my 11 year old son is racing out there, I've tried to point out all of the local racers in the big show who got their start racing at the local quarter midget track. Here's what I came up with off the top of my head. Feel free to add to the list.

My boy, Race Biggs is 3 this August. We'll be putting one of my neice's, Ariel biggs, first old quarter midgets together this winter for him to practice in our yard with until he's old enough to join. He also has a younger brother Carter, whos following up behind him.

____________________ MOPAR
Yes there are only a few of us left
but we don't know any better
or do we

Information about the beginnings of the I-5 Quarter Midget club as recalled by one of the developers of the track, Ted Hartman, reposted here with his permission.

One of aspirations I had and still carry is to keep the history of the I-5 QMC intact and accurate. My dream would be to one day have all of the clubs history included in the Elma Auto racing Hall of Fame to share and build on. Our family has kept our membership in QMA and the I-5 club continually since we joined in it's second year of operation in the late 1990's, and despite not having participated since 2007, still watch over the goings on of the club - at least as much as we're allowed without interfering in letting someone else carry the torch. For myself, it is important to keep the history and heritage of the club as accurate as possible. The I-5 QMC and it's members endured many many years of struggle and acceptance within the region. It wasn't easy being the lone dirt track in a region of pavement tracks. Very few families in Region 9 were willing or capable of racing on both dirt and pavement, despite the kids always loving their one time a year trip to the dirt track in the region series. Parents simply hated getting their cars dirty. Although there were a few that always left happy, they mostly just looked for ways to ostracize the club from the region. Sadly, a couple of the names gaining popularity in the dirt track world, are among the guilty parties. Their one trip a year to participate on dirt was done out of scheduling in the region, and not desire to race on dirt. Some of us smile now, knowing they are enjoying the fame and recognition that they now receive from a venue that they once despised.

The I-5 QMC was called home by no less than 6 drivers who won a combined 11 (possibly 12 -my memory fades) National Championships - on dirt and pavement. These 6 drivers were not just members in name only for convenience. These were true and legitimate I-5 QMC drivers who called it home because it was.

I still hold many pictures and membership lists from the past. Those kids grow up way faster than we want to, or even realize. I wish they all could have the opportunity to make the transition to the big track. I once asked Fred what was in this for him by allowing us to build a facility within his compound. He simply said - "one day those kids will be over here racing. That's when I'll get my reward." I hope and pray that remains the policy at Grays Harbor Raceway until the end of time.

A little history about the drivers who started their racing heritage at the I-5 QMC and have transitioned to the big track at Elma.

*JJ Hickle - 360 Sprint Car, Modified - a member in just the second year of the I-5 club, but raced in it's debut season. JJ mostly ran pavement, but never missed an opportunity to run on dirt. JJ was a club champion, multi time driver of the year, and won several region as well as two or three QMA National Championships - one on dirt in Hagerstown in 2004. JJ only had a couple of opportunities to race at the current QM track in Elma before moving up to sprints and his modified debut went largely un-noticed because what happens in Quilcene, stays in Quilcene.

*TJ Hartman - 360 Sprint Car - a member (and still current) and participant since the second year of the I-5 club. TJ ran both dirt and pavement, sometimes both on the same weekend when the dirt track raced on Sundays. TJ won 14 club class championships, multi time driver and drivers choice of the year, two region championships, and four QMA National Championships - all on dirt at: Hagerstown, Terre Haute, and twice at Elma. TJ was involved in the construction of the QM track at Elma and joins JJ Hickle and Logan Forler as the only I-5 QMC drivers that have raced at all three I-5 QMC facilities(Jackson Praire, Vader, and Elma) and on the big track at Elma.

*Allison Journey - Focus Midget - did her drivers training at the Vader track and helped construct the track at Elma. Allisons family traveled from Springfield Oregon to attend the races. She is a multi time club champions and driver of the year, region champion, and has (I believe) two QMA National Championships - one at Elma and one at Sacramento. Allison holds the unique privilege of racing on the big track and the little track during the same year.

*Logan Forler - 360 Sprint Car - has raced at all three tracks that the club raced on. Logan participated in the construction of the track at Elma, and raced on both dirt and pavement. Like JJ, Logan had limited time on the track at Elma before moving on to traveling around the region and country to race, and then on to micros where he is a Clay Cup Champion. Logan may hold the distinction for having participated at the most venues and types of racing around the country, gaining him valuable racing experience. QM's, Micros, Midgets, and 360 as well as 410 sprint cars are on Logans resume.

*Ariel Biggs - Focus Midget - Ariel may have participated at all three I-5 venues as well. I cannot recall if she was at Jackson Prairie with us or not, and if so, I apologize for leaving her name off the 3-track list. Ariel is an award winning club champion, and ran on pavement and dirt. Ariel holds the bragging rights of the club in that she is now the third generation of Biggs to race at the Grays Harbor Raceway. Ariel joins Allison and Annika Johnason as proof that racing is not just for boys.

*Annika Johanson - Focus Midget - Annika came into QM racing late, but with a desire and will to learn. Many racers would be discouraged to have to go through such a quick learning curve against kids with many more years of experience, but she never gives up. Annika's family has contributed more than most families, without having the recognition that others enjoy through results. Annika's middle name should be Heart.

*Garret Johnson - Focus Midget - Garret got his start at the Elma QM track in its inaugural year there and won a QMA National Championship there in 2006. Garret has raced on both dirt and pavement, as well as Micros. Garret captured the eye of car owner Don Billings while in QM's and has been close to winning for his car owner on several occasions as of late. Never count Garret out.

*Seth Hespe - Focus Midget/360 Sprint Car - like Annika, Seth started late and along with his brother Austen and Garret Johnson, hold the distinction as the only three drivers (thus far) that started their racing legacy at the I-5 QM facility in their first year, and in it's inaugural year in Elma. Seth was thrown to the wolves and got a taste of what it was like to race against drivers of much more experience, but held his own. Seth is the only I-5 QMC driver (thus far) to race QM's, Midgets, and Sprints at the Grays Harbor Raceway.

*Andrew Andexler - Modifed - Andrew and his family were members of the I-5 QMC while at Vader, but had moved on before the club had a chance to be in Elma. Andrew raced a modified at Elma on two occasions I believe, and was a regular at Sunset Speedway for a time. Andrews smile was a lady killer and can't be forgotten.

*Angie Magnuson - Focus Midget - Angie was a late comer as well, but like her fellow club members, was not short on enthusiasm. She transitioned to pavement, micros, and then for just a short stint, drove a Ford Focus midget. One of the cool things about QM's is watching the cars make their way down to the next generation of drivers year after year, and Angie's cars with their bold graphics are still a sight to see at many race tracks.

*Brandon Petermen - Modified - Brandon and his Grandmother joined the I-5 QMC while at Vader, and came back again when the club moved to Elma. Brandon only got a chance to participate a limited amount of times, but I was told he got an opportunity to drive a modified at Elma for his Uncle (and they'll forgive me if I'm wrong on this) but the name Randy Ward sticks in my mind as being his Uncle. I could be wrong.

*Austin Hespe - Focus Midget - Like his brother, Austin got his start at the Elma QM track, and transitioned to the Midgets just a couple of years later. Austin's best accomplishment goes largely un-noticed, when in 2005 he traveled to Terre Haute to participate in the QMA Grands and let it be known that he had some racing genes in his blood lines. Mechanical woes hampered his run in the National event, but it gave him a ton of confidence in his ability which carried over at home. Austin holds a unique distinction as an I-5 driver who has raced, and now worked, at the Grays Harbor Raceway....having recently joined the fire/safety crew. I saved Austin for last to illustrate that the fame and notoriety of wins and championships in racing doesn't have to be the defining meaning of a hero at the Grays Harbor Raceway.

While the list of drivers who have transitioned from QM's to the big tracks around the Northwest and beyond is long, and getting longer, the names listed above are the only genuine I-5 QMC drivers to make the distinguished list of having raced on the big track in Elma, while calling the I-5 QMC their home. These are the drivers who made a choice to (in some cases) bypass the pavement track around the corner from their home, and choose to race on dirt. These are the drivers that Fred Brownfield saw as his drivers and his future in the Fall of 2003. These ARE I-5 QMC drivers.

That list will no doubt get longer as names the likes of Sample, Brogan, West, Lytle, Nations, and Reed among others, become the first, second, and even third generation of drivers to have called the I-5 QMC in Elma their home, while racing in front of the fans that have watched them grow and mature into young adults in pursuit of a racing fix and fulfillment of Fred and my plans set in late 2003.

I just hope the record is always straight on who those drivers were, and are.

Take care,

Ted Hartman
I-5 QMC - member

Note: my apologies for any discrepancies in resumes to the aforementioned drivers. I went simply off memory, and the details of accomplishments since 2006 are not documented very well. One day I hope to restore that information so the dreams will forever live on somewhere for someone.